EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING, TheScore.ie brings you the stories you need to know before 9am.
1. #SIX NATIONS Ireland will face France in Paris on Sunday, 4 March, tournament organisers announced yesterday.
2. #CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Two goals from Chilean international Alexi Sanchez plus a late strike by Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 3-1 advantage over Bayer Leverkusen to take back to the Nou Camp in a fortnight’s time. Full-back Michal Kadlec was on the scoresheet for the Germans.
Elsewhere, Lyon hold a narrow lead over Apoel Nicosia after Alexandre Lacazette’s deflected effort in the 58th minute gave the home side a 1-0 win at Stade de Gerland.
3. #CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Tonight, Arsenal travel to Italy to take on Serie A champions AC Milan with Gunners boss yesterday voicing his concern over the state of the San Siro’s pitch. In the other tie, Zenit St Petersburg face Benfica. We will be liveblogging the Arsenal game later this evening.
4. #BLUE TUESDAY Rangers yesterday entered administration, automatically triggering a 10-point deduction, and more or less handing the Scottish title to arch-rivals Celtic.
5. #GEEGEES JP McManus’s Synchronised is top weight for the 2012 Aintree Grand National. The nine-year-old, winner of the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December, has been assigned a top weight of 11st10lbs for the 165th renewal of the race, which takes place this year on 14 April.
6. #FINED Kildare and Monaghan have been hit with hefty fines by the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee after the melee which took place in the Allianz NFL Division 2 game in Clones.
